Most of the cost in a typical SWAT callout comes in the form of overtime, but it’s difficult to calculate that for a single incident, SFPD spokesman Sam Clemens said.

Let’s break down why by starting with what SWAT is.

The team consists of 24 officers from various departments – patrol officers, detectives, sergeants and others – and they all work regular jobs.

That means a lot of them were already at work when the call came in Thursday afternoon. As would happen with a homicide investigation, the SWAT callout mobilized a good share of the on-duty force.

When shifts changed, though, some of the early shift officers went home. Some team members – negotiators, for instance – stay on site longer and might earn overtime, but hourly officers can trim the additional hours off their 40-hour work week if they'd prefer to.

All in all, Clemens said, it’s possible only a handful of the 35 officers and SWAT members who had some part in handling Thursday’s tree standoff were paid much more than they would have been otherwise.

Even the ones that did earn overtime might not have Romero to thank. If SWAT members had late calls earlier in the week, those calls play into the additional earnings.

It’s unlikely that taxpayers avoided paying overtime altogether, but Clemens said SWAT calls are part of the job.

Romero’s unlikely to see an overtime bill attached to his restitution.

“It’s part of the service, and people expect us to respond,” Clemens said.